Chapter 23
CHAPTER 23
T he sun had barely risen when Luke carried keys and paperwork to the Powell Water Sports jet ski kiosk. The early morning was his favorite time on the beach—quiet, peaceful, a perfect place to think. His brother, Joshua, usually manned the kiosk at this hour, but Luke had taken over today, hoping the solitude would help him sort through everything on his mind.
He leaned against the counter, staring out at the waves as they gently lapped against the shore. But instead of the usual calm the Gulf water brought him, Luke felt a knot of tension in his chest.
His mind kept circling back to his recent conversation with Katie Wright. He liked her—maybe more than he should, considering how little time they’d spent together. The logical part of him knew it was too soon to feel this way, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her.
His anxiety only grew with the realization that he’d missed the RSVP deadline date for Meredith’s wedding, and now had to call her to let her know he was coming to the wedding and bringing a date, if it wasn’t too late.
The thought of making that call churned in his gut like an unsettled sea. Meredith had moved on quickly—too quickly, it seemed—and that made the situation awkward for him. Questions still lingered in his mind about the timing of everything.
Now, he was about to reinsert himself into her life, if only for a brief moment, making him wonder whether deciding to go to the wedding was a mistake after all.
The idea of explaining Katie to Meredith felt like stepping onto thin ice. It wasn’t that he regretted asking Katie; in fact, he was eager to spend more time with her. But the whole situation felt fraught with potential complications.
Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair as he tried to focus on something else—anything else—but the looming conversation. The beach, usually a sanctuary for his thoughts, offered little solace today.
His phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a text from Becca:
I’m coming down to the beach, Need to catch up with my favorite brother :-)
Luke couldn’t help but smile. Becca had always had a way of knowing when something was bothering him. He looked up and saw her already making her way down the beach.
“How is it that you’ve been home only a few days and you’ve already got a tan?” he asked.
Becca laughed. “Just lucky I guess, What’s got you manning the kiosk today? Trying to escape from something?” she teased.
Luke chuckled, though it was a bit forced.
“Just needed some time to think.”
Becca raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying his nonchalant tone. “Thinking? That sounds serious. What’s on your mind?”
Luke sighed, leaning against the counter. He knew there was no point in hiding it—Becca would drag it out of him sooner or later. “It’s about Meredith. I have to call her today.”
“Meredith? Your ex, Meredith?” Becca asked, her curiosity piqued. “Why do you need to call her?”
Luke rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the tension knotting there. “I missed the RSVP deadline on the wedding invitation. I need to let her know I’m coming—and that I’m bringing Katie Wright.”
Becca’s eyes widened in surprise. “Wait, hold on. You missed the RSVP? Tell the truth, that was no accident, dear brother. You missed the date on purpose because you weren’t going to answer it.”
He nodded and smiled. “I know, you’re right,” Luke groaned. “I’ve just been busy, and I didn’t want to deal with it. But now I have to make the call, and I’m dreading it.”
Becca looked at him, her expression a mix of sympathy and amusement. “Well, you’ve certainly made things interesting. So, Katie agreed to go with you?”
“Yeah, she did,” Luke replied, a small smile tugging at his lips. “But we’re keeping it casual. We both agreed it’s not really a date—at least, not officially.”
Becca rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, Luke. It’s a date, admit it. You like her, don’t you?”
Luke hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, I do. But I don’t want to rush things, especially with Meredith involved. It’s already complicated enough.”
“Well, if you ask me, you’re overthinking it,” Becca said, crossing her arms. “Just call Meredith, let her know what’s up, and then focus on enjoying the wedding with Katie. Don’t make it more complicated than it needs to be.”
Luke sighed, knowing she was right. “It’s just… weird, you know? Calling my ex to tell her I’m bringing someone else to her wedding, when the bride just broke up with me seven months ago.”
Becca nodded, her expression softening. “It is weird, but it’s also part of moving on. Meredith has, and now it’s your turn.”
Luke looked at his sister, appreciating her straightforward advice. But as he studied her, he noticed the faint circles under her eyes and the slight weariness in her smile. “What about you, Becca? How are you feeling? You look tired.”
Becca waved off his concern with a smile. “I’m fine, Luke. Just the usual pregnancy stuff—tired, hungry, and dealing with cravings that make no sense. But I’m okay.”
Luke frowned, not entirely convinced. “You sure? I don’t want you overdoing it. You need to take care of yourself and that baby,” he said, pointing to her belly.
Becca rolled her eyes, though her smile remained. “I’m taking it easy, I promise. I’m just happy to be home for the holidays, and to catch up with you.”
“Just don’t push yourself too hard, okay?” Luke said, his tone more serious. “I want you and the baby to be healthy.”
Becca laughed softly. “You’re such a worrier, Luke. But I appreciate it. And speaking of worrying, you should probably get that call to Meredith out of the way. The longer you wait, the harder it’ll be.”
Luke groaned at the reminder. “Yeah, you’re right. I’ll do it as soon as it’s a reasonable hour to call. It’s still too early.”
Becca grinned, clearly amused by his predicament. “Good. And don’t overthink it. Just be honest with her, and everything will work out.”
Luke nodded, feeling a little better now that they’d talked it through. “Thanks, Becca. I needed that. I’m glad you’re home.”
“Anytime,” she said, giving him a quick hug. “And don’t forget—just because you’re going to a wedding with Katie doesn’t mean it has to be a big deal. Take it one step at a time.”
Luke watched as she walked back up the beach, feeling a mix of relief and lingering nerves. He knew the call to Meredith wouldn’t be easy, but Becca was right—he needed to face it head-on. And after that, he’d focus on getting to know Katie better, one step at a time.
The thought of Katie brought a smile to his face. He remembered how they’d walked together along the beach. He loved how she called him out on things, not letting him get away with anything.
There was something about her—a quiet strength, an intelligence—that drew him in, made him want to know more. But he didn’t want to make the same mistakes he’d made with Meredith, rushing in too quickly or letting his work consume all his time and energy. This time, he wanted to do things right.
He took a deep breath, pulling out his phone. It wasn’t time to call Meredith yet, but at least now he knew what he had to say. He scrolled through his contacts until he found her name, his thumb hovering over the call button. Part of him wanted to just get it over with, but another part—perhaps the wiser part—knew that waiting a little longer wouldn’t hurt.
As he stood there, phone in hand, the beach began to wake up around him. Early joggers appeared on the sand, their feet kicking up small clouds of dust as they ran by. A few seagulls gathered near the shoreline, picking at the remnants of yesterday’s tide. Life continued its steady pace, indifferent to the turmoil in Luke’s mind.
He put his phone back in his pocket, deciding to wait until a more appropriate time to make the call. For now, he would focus on the day ahead, on the customers who would soon start arriving at the kiosk, and on the possibility of something new and promising with Katie.
Whatever happened with Meredith’s wedding, Luke knew one thing for sure: he was ready to move forward, and he wasn’t going to let the past hold him back.
Tourists came and went, and when he couldn’t wait any longer, Luke decided it was time to call Meredith. With a deep breath, he pressed the call button and held the phone to his ear, his stomach tightened with nerves. He wasn’t sure why he felt so anxious; after all, this was just a phone call. But the awkwardness of the situation, coupled with the fact that he was about to discuss his ex-girlfriend’s wedding, made it anything but simple.
“Luke?” Meredith’s voice came through the line, bright but with a hint of surprise. “How are you?”
“Hey, Meredith,” Luke began, trying to keep his tone casual. “Uh, yeah, I’m sorry to bother you. I know it’s early.”
“It’s fine,” she replied, though there was a slight edge to her voice. “What’s up?”
Luke hesitated for a split second before diving in. “Listen, I know I’m late, but I wanted to let you know that I’m planning to come to the wedding.”
There was a pause on the other end, and Luke could almost hear Meredith’s exasperation through the phone. “I remember how you always wait until the last minute for things, but my wedding? Really, Luke? I sent the invitations out weeks ago.”
“I know,” Luke said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I’ve just been swamped with work, and it slipped my mind. I’m sorry.”
Meredith sighed, and Luke could picture her shaking her head. “It’s fine. I’ll add you to the guest list. Are you coming alone?”
“Actually, I’ll be bringing someone,” Luke replied, trying to keep his voice even. “Her name is Katie Wright.”
“Katie Wright?” Meredith repeated, clearly not recognizing the name.
“She’s new to the island,” Luke explained, feeling a bit defensive. “We’ve been getting to know each other.”
“Well, I’ll make sure to add her too,” Meredith said, her tone softening slightly. “Just make sure you show up on time.”
Luke let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. “Thanks, Meredith. I appreciate it.”
There was a brief silence before Meredith spoke again, her voice taking on a more personal tone.
“So, how are things going with you, Luke? It’s been a while since we talked.”
Luke hesitated, not sure how much he wanted to share. “A while? It’s been exactly seven months.”
He was baiting her, and that wasn’t at all what he wanted to do, so he pivoted.
“Things are fine. Busy with work, as usual. How about you? How’s… uh… what’s his name again?”
“Jason,” Meredith supplied, a hint of amusement in her voice. “Things are great. We’re really happy.”
Luke forced a smile, though she couldn’t see it. “That’s good to hear. You two didn’t waste any time, huh?”
There was a brief pause before Meredith responded, her tone cool. “No, we didn’t. When you know, you know.”
“Right,” Luke said, trying to sound nonchalant. “It’s just… well, it happened pretty fast, that’s all. I guess I’m still a little surprised.”
“Surprised, huh?” Meredith replied, a touch of curiosity in her voice. “I hope you’re not implying anything, Luke.”
“No, no,” Luke said quickly, kicking himself for the snide remark. “I didn’t mean it like that. I’m happy for you, really.”
Meredith sighed, the tension in her voice dissipating. “It’s okay, Luke. I get it. This whole thing is… strange, I know. But I’m glad we’re still able to talk like this. It means a lot to me for us to remain friends. That's why I sent you an invitation.”
“Yeah,” Luke agreed, though he wasn’t entirely sure he meant it. “I’m glad too.”
There was a brief pause before Meredith spoke again, her voice warm. “Well, I’ll see you at the wedding, then. Take care, Luke.”
“You too, Meredith,” Luke replied, relief flooding through him as he ended the call.
As he set his phone down, he couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions—relief, frustration, and a lingering sense of disbelief.
He’d gotten through the conversation, but it hadn’t gone quite the way he’d hoped, even though he couldn’t say exactly what it was that he’d hoped for.
Still, it was done, and he’d felt lighter for having closed this chapter in his life. Whatever the future looked like, he knew it wouldn’t depend on having fun at Meredith’s wedding. There was so much more to learn, not just about Katie, but about himself and who he was in the greater world.